Virginia Beach adults can finish high school online 24/7, thanks to a new program launched this month by the city’s public libraries.

Virginia Beach Public Library is the first library system in Virginia to participate in Career Online High School, “the world’s first accredited, private online school district,” according to a release. In partnership with Gale, a vendor of online library resources, COHS brings adults back into the educational system and prepares them for 21st century jobs. Participants earn a high-school diploma and a career certificate in one of eight fields, including office management, child care, education and homeland security.

“Libraries provide free access to information and transformative opportunities for all community members,” Eva Poole, director of Virginia Beach Public Library, said in the release. “Career Online High School is another exciting library service to help adults in Virginia Beach achieve their lifelong learning and career goals.”

Since COHS debuted on Sept. 1, two Virginia Beach residents have started the enrollment process, the release said.

Prospective students must be at least 20 years old, must have completed eighth grade, and must have a library card, which is free for city residents.

“The program is open to adults anywhere in Virginia Beach, it is managed by staff at our Central Library, but the majority of the interaction is online or by phone, and the course itself is online,” Christine Brantley, a spokesperson for Virginia Beach Public Library, said in an email. “The participants will apply online and take a prerequisite online course to determine if online learning is a good fit for their needs and learning style.”

After that, participants come to the Meyera E. Oberndorf Central Library, 4100 Virginia Beach Blvd., for an interview with a team of library staffers to make sure they understand the process and the time commitment needed to finish the program, she added. Once students are accepted into the program, they do most of the work online.